Of Darkness and Unicorns
by AfraidOfFalling
Summary: Four men embark on a quest to save an injured unicorn, and one learns about himself in the process.


**Note:**

I'd put this in Crossover, but I don't think there's a Hawthorne category...

For those of you who have not read Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Minister's Black Veil" or "Young Goodman Brown," here's a short synopsis of each to help you understand the characters portrayed in my fanfic.

The first is about the minister of a Puritan town named Reverend Mr. Hooper, who creates quite the scandal when he takes to wearing a veil over his face at all times. He refuses to give a specific reason as to why he wears it, but on his deathbed he remarks, "I look around me, and, lo! On every visage a Black Veil!"

The second involves a man named Goodman Brown, who witnesses even the most respected members of his community worshipping Satan—whether the vision was reality or a dream is not made clear. He believes that during this experience he manages to evade Satan's enticements, but ever after he is filled with gloom and mistrust, believing himself to be the sole pure person inhabiting his town, and he treats all with contempt.

While reading these for English class, I could not help but find connections to the world of Harry Potter, and accordingly when we were told to write a narrative connecting at least two of Hawthorne's characters and employing one of his themes, I inserted Professors Dumbledore and Snape into the mix.

Enjoy!

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Of Darkness and Unicorns

The four men strode across the grounds toward the Forbidden Forest. The tall, blue-clad figure led, shadowed by a man in black robes whose lank hair swung across his face as he glanced warily at the other two men: one glaring mistrustfully at the other three, and the other stepping carefully across the grass, his face obscured with a black veil.

Upon reaching the trees, the third man stopped. "The forest?" he snapped at the man in blue. "Why are we going into the forest?"

The addressee smiled through his long silver beard, his blue eyes twinkling behind his golden half-moon glasses. "Why, Goodman Brown, because that is where the unicorn will be."

Goodman Brown frowned angrily. "You can't fool me!" he spat, backing away from the trees and his companions. "You're trying to recruit me, you are! You're not on a mission to save a unicorn; you're on a mission to win my soul to the darkness!"

"Not all darkness lies within the Forest," countered the man with the veil, a faint smile glinting behind it. His stomach turned over as he remembered his greatest crime, as he felt the darkness, the shadows, the cold.

"Oh! I know! How I know!" seethed Goodman Brown, his eyes sharp daggers that stabbed each man in turn. "How easy it is to imagine what each of _you_ do to worship the Devil!"

The man in the black cloak smirked sardonically and raised a cynical eyebrow. "As if you alone are pure and innocent, Brown?"

"Yes! Yes indeed! _I_ am not seduced by Satan's lies!"

He with the twinkling eyes sighed heavily. "While I do not argue that I have at times been controlled by power and hatred, dear boy, and though I am sure that you have proved yourself above some temptations, I cannot help but doubt that you have never sinned."

"Is this your reasoning to join the Devil? I—!"

"—Now, now," remarked the veiled one to the incensed Goodman Brown, "I feel certain that Professor Dumbledore is not encouraging us to partake in anything remotely illicit." His words were calm and measured and seemed to act like balm on the frayed nerves of the furious Goodman Brown.

"Come, dear friends. Let us see if there is yet anything our blackened souls can do for that which is innocent." And with that, the veiled man stepped into the Forest, followed at once by Albus Dumbledore and the man in black. Goodman Brown glared doubtfully at the backs of the trio, but eventually reluctantly marched in after them.

Once again on the move, the man with the veil stood aside to let Dumbledore lead, acknowledging him as the one best suited to finding an injured unicorn. The headmaster smiled at him and struck up a fresh conversation. "I find your veil intriguing, Mr. Hooper. It is fascinating that you choose to make it so clear to all you meet that they have not seen your true face. How original."

The minister smiled back through his veil. "But Professor Dumbledore," he asked, somewhat confused as to how the headmaster might find his adornment unique, "does not yon Professor Snape hide himself quite as obviously as I do? Certainly he does not employ a literal veil, but the imposing dark clothing, curtain of hair, and harsh, sarcastic attitude do seem to achieve the same result."

Severus Snape looked sharply at the speaker, shocked to hear himself described so by a near complete stranger. But as he thought about it, he saw the truth in Hooper's statement. He hid his heart, certainly, but he also hid his guilt, his shame, his sins. A memory flashed through his mind of the Dark Lord's face when he heard about the prophecy. A twinge of pain shot across the Mark on his forearm, and he was unable to repress a shudder.

"I suppose you are correct," answered Dumbledore after a thoughtful pause.

"They aren't hiding from me," growled Goodman Brown from behind. "I can see their faces as clearly as I can see yours!"

"But yet," added the headmaster, "I suppose my face is quite as well hidden as anyone's."

Mr. Hooper nodded in agreement. "You are one of the few, then, that understand my message."

Dumbledore gazed into the depths of the trees. "Yes, indeed. I suppose I understand better than many that even the great and good have a darkness to them."

In his mind's eye Albus watched his brother argue with his own best friend, saw as if from a distance the fight, saw his sister's motionless body. He viewed the phrase etched into Nurmengard's entrance—_For the Greater Good—_the words he himself had inspired.

His piercing eyes caught on a gleam of silver on the trunk of a nearby tree. Stooping to examine it, he let out a sigh. "I've found some blood," he murmured. He straightened again and contemplated the trees for some moments, then strode off decidedly, trailed by the other three men.

They continued for around an hour, Dumbledore periodically pausing to peer at a spot of silver and to adjust their direction. Finally they arrived at a clearing and beheld a gleaming white animal lying on its side. The four men cautiously approached it, watching the magnificent beast with trepidation and awe. Its breathing was shallow and labored, and a shimmering pool was forming on the dark ground, fed from the gash on its snowy neck. Nothing could be heard except the soft intake and outtake of air from the unicorn's lungs.

"Severus," Dumbledore spoke lowly.

The black-cloaked man nodded, stepped forward, and knelt by the animal, drawing his wand and a golden potion from his robes. He allowed the liquid to trickle slowly over the animal's wound as he whispered an incantation that sounded almost like song. Gradually the silver flow abated and the white coat mended. Snape rose to his feet and backed away, but still the unicorn lay supine.

"Why won't it get up?" Goodman Brown turned his angry eyes upon the potions master. "What did you do to it?"

Snape crossed his arms and glared back coldly. "I healed the wound. That does not mean its blood is automatically replenished. The animal is still suffering from severe blood loss, and may yet die."

"No!" snarled Brown as he darted toward the creature still lying on the forest floor, "I won't let you kill this pure and innocent unicorn!" Before anyone could stop him, he reached out to touch the fantastic beast, perhaps to encourage it to rise and escape.

Where he touched it, the coat sizzled and turned black as the animal flinched in pain. Brown retracted his hand as if he too had been burned—which indeed he had. His gaze flickered from the ugly mark on the unicorn's shoulder to his own hand, stunned. "Why…?" He faltered.

"It seems, dear Goodman Brown," Mr. Hooper remarked, smiling faintly and sadly, "that you have veiled your face even from yourself."

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Please review! I welcome constructive criticism!


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